LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The supply of strawberries on the Auckland market this season, although always an uncertain factor on account of their susceptibility to'weather conditions, gives promise of being a good one. The early arrivals on the market have not been of very good quality, on account of unfavourable conditions, and it is expected it will be ten days at the least before supplies in any quantity are available. Prices at the City Markets yesterday ranged from Is 3d to 3s 9d, poorer qualities realising from Is 3d to 2s 6d, and berries of the Captain Cook variety from 3s 8d to 3s 9d.

A small party of Army Service Corps non-commissioned officers left for the South by train last evening. They will attend a week's special training camp at Trentham.

The limited express had one carriage less than usual last evening, but would have been a well-filled tram even with the extra accommodation. As it was both the limited and the Main Trunk express were crowded. There has been a sharp increase in passenger traffic during the past few days. Not only the expidsses to and from Wellington have been affected. The Thames and Rotorua expresses, and the country trains arriving in Auckland before noon have also been well filled. It is anticipated that this increase will be continued now that fine weather has set in.

In the experience of Mr. Justice Reed, admission to probation has usually no beneficial effect upon a native prisoner. His Honor observed yesterday that he"had been informed over and over again by police officials that probation had not the same effect on Maoris as on Europeans. When the Maori offender went back to his kaingo he was regarded as having won his case because he had not gone to gaol, and was considered to be a kind of hero.

While two outriggers belonging to the Devonport Rowing Club were passing the North cote Wharf at about seven o'clock last evening a mishap occurred. One of the boats got too close to the steamer Albatross when berthing and was swamped by the wash from the propeller. The occupant was picked up by the crew of the steamer none the worse for his immersion. Responsibility for the filling of a hot bath on a coastal vessel was in question in the Magistrate's Court, yesterday. A witness denied that his duties consisted of turning on the valves in connection with any auxiliary machinery, but admitted he conducted the operation himself when having a hot hath. Cross-exam-ined as to the procedure when lady passengers wanted a hot bath, witness was unable to say who turned on the taps, but expressed the opinion that the engineer could not be expected to do so.

"How are you going to pick the Presbyterians out of a crowd of four or five hundred?" asked the Rev. J. Lamb Harvey at a meeting of the Auckland Presbytery last evening. "For my own part," he continued, "I look for the ruost intelligent or for those that speak Scotch." Mr. Harvey was explaining the present methods by which the Presbyterian Church gets in touch with immigrants arriving from England. It was the rule for the ministers to take it in turn to act as immigration officers at the ship's side, he said. Unfortunately they did not all find the work congenial. Some shrank from tackling an aggressive-look-ing female, while, others were not in the least diffident. He had seen one calmly nursing a baby while the mother was busy elsewhere. A less confident minister would be sure to drop the baby.

Recording that Mr. A. G. Bennett had completed 40 years in the legal profession, the Waimate Witness suggests that this was a record for Taranaki. It was mentioned later that Mr. R. C. Hughes, of New Plymouth, was admitted in September, 1870, and is still practising there, 55 years later.

A very pleasant incident occurred at Mr. John Coull's election committee rooms in Wanganui this week, when the Prime Minister was having a cup of tea. Mr. Rangi Marumaru took the opportunity to thank Mr. Coates for his efforts in connection with the Native Claims Commission, and, on behalf of the Wanganui Maori Soldiers' Memorial Committee, thanked the Government for the assistance it had given. Mr. ilarumaru, on behalf of his wife, then presented to Mr. Coates a valuable taiaha. Mrs. Marnmara was born in the same district in the far north as Sir. Coates claims for his birthplace.

A wireless outfit and sundries, amounting to a value of £SO, were stolen from the premises of the Radio Supply Company, in Colombo Street, Christchurch, during the last week-end. The thieves gained an entrance through the rear door of the premises, drawing the key from the inside of the building under the door with the aid of a piece of wire. Before leaving the thieves set light to a gas jet, which was still burning on Tuesday morning when the thefts were discovered.

" For the last'three months the Wanganui River has been in flood," states Mr. T. W. Dowaes, the River Trust's overseer. The season has been phenomenal, he said, and the heavy rainfall on the watershed had much interfered with the trust's work. There had been a threat many slips on the river banks, particularly in the upper reaches.

The hoardings erected in connection with the licensing poll campaign were discussed briefly by the Napier City Council. In a report on hoardings in church grounds the building inspector stated that the alliance of churches claimed that such placards should be exempted, as prohibition was part of the business of the churches. Mr. C. M. Wilkie observed, amid laughter, that the hotels could, with justice, make the same claim in the opposite direction.

In the course of tiie hearing of a case in the Invercargili Magistrate's Court a witness being cross-examined by a solicitor admitted that lie did not keep any books showing his expenditure. The magistrate, Mr. G. Cruickshank. S.M., dryly remarked, " I keep good books. You might get two years."

A wedding that was to have taken place at. Hastings yesterday did not eventuate, as the bridegroom had a more pressing engagement at the Police Court, where he was charged with intent to defraud by attempting to obtain £lO and £2 14s 6d by issuing two valueless cheques. A picturesque touch to the little tragicomedy came with the delivery at the police station of a bouquet for the wedding.